CGSL Participation and Household Food Security Outcomes: A Difference-in-Differences Estimation in Three South Sudanese STATES

Summary

This retrospective difference-in-differences analysis examines whether participation in Community Group Saving and Lending (CGSL) mechanisms improves household food security in three rural South Sudanese states. Drawing on secondary analysis of 81 survey responses (53% CGSL members, 47% non-members) and 17 interviews, the study finds stronger improvements among CGSL members for food-security outcomes, agricultural productivity, technology adoption, and shock-coping capacity. The findings suggest that CGSLs facilitate improved food security through credit access, seasonal liquidity, savings discipline and collective risk management, though formal agricultural financing remains necessary for full food security.

Regional applicability

This study is specific to South Sudan's rural context and CGSL mechanisms operating in that region. The findings on community-based financial inclusion and agricultural credit access may have limited direct transferability to United Kingdom conditions, which have established formal financial systems and different agricultural structures, though the principles of credit access and technology adoption for agricultural productivity could be relevant to development programming in other post-conflict or low-income settings.

Key measures

Household food-security proxy, agricultural productivity indicators, market orientation, technology adoption, shock-coping capacity, credit access

Outcomes reported

The study measured associations between CGSL participation and household food-security outcomes, agricultural productivity, market orientation, technology adoption, and shock-coping capacity using difference-in-differences estimation.

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